Flight conveyer.



J. P. WHITE.

FLIGHT CONVEYBR.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.18, 1909.

Patented J an. 30, 1912.

w 0 O m M 1 w JOHN F. WHITE, 01? BLOOIVIING-TON, ILLINOIS.

FLIGHT CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 30,1912.

Application filed December 18, 1909. Serial No. 533,831.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, JOHN F. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Flight Conveyer, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in conveyers and more particularly to the type of conveyers known as flight conveyers.

The object of the present invention is the provision of improved means for attaching the conveyer flights to the carrying means therefor without the use of bolts, nuts, rivets and the like, such flights being interlocked directly with links of the carrying chain and separable therefrom only upon an abnormal relative movement between the links and flight.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a carrying link for the flight which is secured thereto in such a manner that the necessity of providing blocks or supports in the conveyer trough for the carrying chains is done away with.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated and wherein like characters of reference refer to similar parts in the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a flight conveyer showing one of the flights and the manner of securing the same to the carrying chain, Fig. :2, is a side elevation of the same, the supporting conveyer trough being shown in section, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the links adapted for engagement with one end ofthe flight, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one end of the flight.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A A designate the carrying chains of the conveyer which are adapted to be supported in the usual manner and which are formed of a plurality of detachably connected links of any suitable construction. Interposed in the carrying chains A A at suitable intervals are a plurality of specially formed links B B, to which the ends of the conveyer flights are adapted to be connected, in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

G designates one of the conveyer flights which is in the form of a flat metal plate, the lower edge of which and the lower portions of the ends of which are cut away adjacent the lower corners thereof so that at each lower corner of the plate an angular corner portion a is provided, the lower edge of which is positioned above the lower edge of the flight and the side edge of which is positioned inwardly of the end of the flight. Each of the specially formed links B B comprises an open frame provided at one end. with a hooked portion B which is adapted to be detachably connected to the adjacent link in the carrying chain A in which the link B is to be secured.

Projecting upwardly from the end of the frame of the link B from which the hooked portion projects and positioned at the outer side of said frame is a relatively broad flat portion or arm Z) which when the link is secured to the flight is adapted to lie flat upon the outer portion of one of the angular corners d thereof. To strengthen the arm 6 the outer edge thereof is connected to the outer side of the frame of the link B by a web of metal 1) formed integral theretion of the frame of the link B and spaced laterally from the arm I; projecting upwardly therefrom is an arm 6 The faces of the arms I) and b are positioned in parallel planes and the arm b -is positioned a suflicient distance in rear of the arm Z) to permit the body of the flight to lie between said arms so that when the link is interlocked with the flight the arm 5 will lie upon the outer surface of the angular corner d of the flight and the arm 6 will lie upon the inner surface thereof. By ofl'set ting the arms 72 and b in the, manner just described, it is possible to use a substantially flat flight and the term offset as used in the appended claims is intended to designate a structure in which the laterally separated arms are positioned one in front of the other. The arm 6 is provided at its upper end with a stud or projection which is adapted when the link is coupled to the flight to engage an aperture (i formed in the end of the conveyer flight. To couple the flight and one of the links, the angular corner (Z of the flight is inserted between the arms I) and b which project upwardly from the frame of the link B and the link is shifted angularly with reference to the flight until the opposite surfaces of the arms Z) and b are caused to engage the opposite surfaces of the angular corner (Z of the flight and the projection extending from the arm 5 is caused to enter the opening (Z in the flight. Links B B are attached to each end of the flight in this manner and such links are then coupled with the links of the carrying chains A A and when the device is in use such chains are maintained at such a tension that it is impossible to shift the flight and links angularly a sufli cient distance relatively to each. other to effect their separation. When the links B are interlocked with the flight the upper surfaces of the frames thereof rest directly against the lower edges of the angular corner portions (Z of the flight and serve to prevent pivotal movement of the links about the projections 6 When the links are coupled to the ends of the flight the lower portions of the hooked parts thereof are in alinement with the lower edge of the flight and as the sides of the links, as heretofore described, are in alinement with the upper port-ions of the ends of the flight, it will be apparent that the flight and links will completely fill a conveyer trough when positioned therein and that there is consequently no necessity for providing filling blocks in the corners of the conveyer trough to support the chains.

While a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that many changes may be made to the form and construction therein shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. The combination with a conveyer flight, of a chain link provided with offset separated portions projecting therefrom said separated portions embracing the edge of the flight and lying upon opposite faces thereof, the adjacent parts of said flight and one of said portions being provided with interfltting parts.

2. The combination with a conveyer flight, of a chain link provided with off-set separated portions projecting therefrom and lying upon opposite faces of the flight, the adjacent portions of said flight and one of the separated portions of the link being provided one with a stud rigidly connected thereto and the other with an opening arranged to engage said stud when the parts are assembled.

3. The combination with a conveyer flight, provided with an opening therein, of a chain link provided with oflset portions projecting therefrom and lying upon opposite faces of said flight, one of said portions being provided with a projection extending therefrom and arranged to engage the opening in the flight.

4C. The combination with a conveyer flight, of a chain link provided with portions adapted to abut the edges of said flight at the corner thereof and with arms projecting therefrom and lying upon opposite faces of the flight, the adjacent portions of said flight and one of said arms being provided one with an aperture and the other with a projection extending therefrom and arranged to engage said aperture when the parts are assembled.

5. The combination with a flat conveyer flight, of a chain link provided with portions adapted to abut the edges of said flight at one corner thereof and with a single arm adapted to overlie each face of the flight, said arms being laterally spaced and off-set from each other, and the adjacent portions of one of said arms and the flight being provided with inter-engaging members separable upon a movement of said link relative to said flight.

6. The combination with aconveyer flight provided with a flat corner portion having an opening therein, of a chain link provided with portions adapted to engage the edges of said flight at the corner thereof and with offset arms projecting therefrom and adapted to overlie opposite faces of the flight, and a projection extending from one of said arms and engaging the opening in the flight.

7. The combination with a flat conveyer flight, provided with an angular corner portion, the side and lower edges of which are spaced inwardly from the side and lower edges of the flight, a chain link provided with portions lying alongside of the lower and side edges of the angular portion of the flight and with a single arm projecting therefrom and lying upon each face of the angular portion of the flight, said arms being off-set from each other, and the adjacent portions of one of said arms and the flight being provided with interengaging members separable upon a movement of said link relative to said flight.

8. The combination with a flat conveyer flight provided with an angular corner portion, the side and lower edges of which are spaced inwardly from the side and lower with a projection engaging the opening in 10 edges of the flight, said corner portion being the corner portion of the flight.

provided with an opening therein, a chain In testimony whereof I aifix my signature linkhprovidcd with portions lying alongside in presence of two witnesses.

of t e lower and side edges of the angular portion of the flight and with offset arms JOHN WHITE projecting therefrom and lying upon oppo- Witnesses: site faces of the angular corner portion of J. F. HEFFERNAN, the flight, one of said arms being provided ELIZABETH SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

